Use a very simple registration card: first name, email, guest or member, prayer request. Ask everyone to complete it.

Prepare for multiple services in most churches, at the very least for greater attendance.

Plan for staff to have time off post-Christmas.

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Resources Mentioned in Today’s Podcast

Comments

When we planted our church nearly 35 years ago, we rented space in a public school. Our Christmas schedule was determined by the school’s custodial staff and their willingness to work on a holiday. Christmas eve was out but one wonderful lady agreed to work on Christmas morning. We held, and still hold, a one-hour Christmas morning communion service. Within a couple of years the service caught on in the area and for more than thirty years we have celebrated Christmas morning with a standing-room-only crowd. Over the years other churches in the area have caught on and are now doing likewise. So, to this day, I thank God for that willing custodian who formed our Christmas tradition with a willingness to serve us on Christmas.

I appreciate the recommendation to use Facebook, including paid ads there, but please know that not everyone is on Facebook and it’s not just the over-70 crowd that isn’t on Facebook or any other social media. As a result, traditional media should not be ignored when it comes to purchasing advertising. I am editor of a community weekly newspaper and I get very frustrated when people/groups choose to: a) get all their information from Facebook, and b) direct all their advertising budget to Facebook. Why? Because most of the information on Facebook comes from the average person who thinks he or she knows about a subject but doesn’t. They’re repeating third-hand information and we all know how well that works. Facebook or any other social media is not the end-all, be-all that some think it is. Is it important to be there and have a strong presence there? Oh, absolutely. But please know that if you are concentrating solely on Facebook, you are automatically leaving out a certain percentage of your market. I do find it interesting that local churches and other groups are more than happy to remember traditional media when it comes to sending in press releases and information about their events that they want printed as news for free, but will not spend a dime with local media when it comes to paid advertising to help support and keep alive that local media. Rather, they send that money to Facebook or other online faceless corporations and ignore a certain percentage of those they could reach through traditional media, especially community newspapers.

In our community, people generally like Christmas Eve services as long as they don’t take up the whole evening. Thus, we have it early – around 5:30 p.m. – and we keep it short. As the article stated, thirty minutes is plenty.

Does that mean a Christmas Eve Eve service is a bad idea? Not necessarily. You know your church and community better than we do, so go with what works best. Sometimes that will require a bit of “trial and error” on your part.

Bob,
I know of one church in west Georgia that has both a Christmas Eve Service and a Christmas Day Service. Both are well attended. The attendance of the Christmas Day gathering grows each year. I’ve attended a couple of times and it is excellent. The service is 50 to 60 minutes in length. It is very thoughtful and really sets the tone for the rest of the day and the remaining 11 Days of Christmas. Riverside Church in NYC does a Watch Night Service on New Year’s Eve. I’m unaware of any church doing a New Year’s Day service.
Jimmy Gentry

Christmas Eve Worship Gathering is an excellent time to touch the lives of people from all walks of life – Christian and secular. I would caution against saying 30 minutes maximum. My 40 years of Christmas Eve worship experiences as a pastor reveal that even non-church people are open to a lengthier gathering if it is thoughtful and embodies carols, readings, lighting candles, Silent Night, etc. – even a brief sermon/homily. Of course it doesn’t need to go on and on and on. I do think an hour service is OK. I suppose it depends where one is located and the temperament of the community.